Coming down on the farmThe need for greater awareness of animal-borne disease is being highlighted by information cards being sent to GPs, vets and pharmacists by Schering-Plough Animal Health.
Some, such as brucellosis and tuberculosis, are well known among farmers. Others include leptospirosis, a flu-like illness caused by skin contact with animal urine containing the Leptospira virus. Protective clothing, rodent control and wider cattle vaccination could help reduce infection on farms.
Hold on, baby
A synthetic form of the hormone progesterone may prevent further premature births in women who have already given birth early, according to a new study. It found that women given weekly injections of a drug known as 17P until 36 weeks' gestation were 42 per cent less likely to deliver before 32 weeks. The findings were reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine earlier this month.
Thigh priority
Researchers have shown that stem cells transplanted from muscle tissue to the heart may be able to replace cardiac muscle damaged by a heart attack. Reporting in The Lancet, French physicians says that transplanted thigh muscle developed into mature skeletal-muscle fibres. An international trial to replicate their findings is about to begin.
Fighting cancer
Selenium could help prevent prostate cancer, according to a new animal study. Researchers at Purdue University, Indiana, found that prostate cells and lymphocytes, which protect against cancer, in dogs treated with the mineral showed a lot less DNA damage than cells from control animals. The study was reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Lifelines is compiled by Sylvia Thompson. Dr Muiris Houston's Medical Matters column returns next week
lifelines@irish-times.ie